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Let's Talk Feminism, [and Then Get Over It!]

All these celebrities have been coming out lately and saying they are “humanists” (Susan Sarandon) or “feminists” (Amy Poehler) and to throw out another celebrity name (Miley Cyrus) I think that’s “pretty cool.” Well, since everyone else is weighing in, I wanted to throw my hat in the ring as well. Yes, I am a feminist.

Take a moment, let it sink in, and now get the heck over it.

I wanted to write this post because a lot of women who take to their kitchens can be seen as anti-feminist. Out of that notion grew a movement of women who see being at home with children as a feminist thing. There are also those who feel that liberation is found outside the home--and these are what I might call the traditional feminists--and they won’t stay at home not for a moment so don’t ask ‘em.

I am neither of these women. Feminism for me has nothing to do with subscribing to anything in particular. It has nothing to do with any sort of specific vocation, or sexuality, or other major identifying aspect of my personality. This is probably the confusing portion of feminism for those who don’t understand it (and I don’t just mean men.)

To be a feminist, you don’t have to “be” anything in particular...I would even argue you don’t have to be a woman. What you DO have to be? Open minded and accepting. Because feminism is not about who is the mommiest of us all, or who stays at home more than someone else, or who is more cutthroat in the world of working. It’s about having the right to choose what kind of person you want to be. That's it. The right and ability to embrace your [fill in the blank] of choice is the key to feminism in my eyes. And as far as I am concerned, my generation has a very incorporated sense of feminism because we've been brought up in a world with highly feminized mothers....for the most part.

One of the biggest hindrances in our feminist revolution is really women thinking that they are more or less feminist than other women simply because they have made different choices. Women shouldn't be threatened by other women. Period. End of story. Whether you stay at home or go to work or are married or divorced or gay or straight, you are enough, you matter and you have the right to pursue what you want. That’s the type of feminism I believe in. For that matter, that is the type of human I am.

So in this regard, I guess I am identifying as a feminist humanist with a wide open mind and a lot of gusto. So take that y’all.

And not to minimize all the wonderful stuff that feminism has done for us or anything, but seriously, if you aren’t into rights for all people, you’re just plain behind the times. So stop saying things like “a woman’s place is in the home” because what you probably mean is “I just want ot stay home” and you know what? That’s cool. And if you wanna work, and you think doing dishes and raising babies is for the birds, you’re right too.

You’re all right. And I’m a feminist.

What are you? (There is no wrong answer, so share in the comments section below!)